Kaffee HAG was established in 1906 following the development of a commercial process for the decaffeination of coffee. Ludwig Roselius, a merchant born in Bremen in 1874, built the corporation into a significant enterprise while simultaneously engaging in broad patronage of the arts and the expansion of the aircraft manufacturing industry within the German Reich.
Business Ventures and Aviation
Roselius & Co. maintained its headquarters at No. 4 Böttcherstrasse, a property acquired in 1902. Beyond coffee, Roselius diversified his interests into aerospace. In 1925, he assumed the role of Chairman of Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau A.G. By 1938, after the firm was reconstituted as Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau GmbH, the HAG group controlled 46 percent of the company, with Lorenz A.G.—a subsidiary of the ITT Corporation—holding a 28 percent stake. His brother, Friedrich, managed the firm from early 1933 until his own death in 1941.
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Roselius invested heavily in the cultural development of his home city. He transformed Böttcherstrasse into an artistic site, commissioning the Glockenspiel House and expanding the street in 1928 to house his personal collection. He supported figures such as Bernard Hoetger and Paula Modersohn-Becker. During the 1930s, the street was declared to contain degenerate art. Following its destruction in the war, the coffee company oversaw the reconstruction of the district, which now features the Ludwig Roselius Museum.
Collaboration with Barbara Goette
Following an amputation due to bone cancer in 1934, Roselius faced persistent health struggles. In 1935, he hired Barbara Goette, a scholar with distinctions in physics, mathematics, and philosophy from Kiel University. Goette became his primary companion and assistant during his global travels. She exerted significant influence over his later activities, including his shift toward the German Resistance in 1942. Roselius honored her contributions by equipping the FW200c airliner with 26 seats, reflecting her birth date. Goette cared for him at the Hotel Kaiserhof in Berlin during the final nine months of his life.
Fast facts
- Born: 1874, Bremen
- Died: 1943, Berlin
- Occupation: Merchant and entrepreneur
- Company founded: Kaffee HAG (1906)
- Focke-Wulf chairmanship start: 1925
- Burial site: Engesohde city cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the Böttcherstrasse?
It served as the location of the Roselius & Co. headquarters and was transformed by Roselius into a center for art and culture, eventually housing his own museum.
What was the nature of the relationship between Roselius and Barbara Goette?
Goette acted as his assistant, collaborator, and carer. Their relationship was described as deeply affectionate but strictly platonic.
